Dedication ceremony Saturday at Maloney Recreation Complex

GREENLAND — There will be a dedication ceremony Saturday for the sign marking the recreation fields on Post Road as the Michael P. Maloney Recreation Complex.

Joey Cresta

GREENLAND — There will be a dedication ceremony Saturday for the sign marking the recreation fields on Post Road as the Michael P. Maloney Recreation Complex.

Officials decided to rename the fields last year in memory of Maloney, who was shot and killed while in service as the town's police chief during a drug raid last year. Recreation Committee member Peter Kratimenos said the recreation complex will honor the legacy of Maloney as a person, versus Maloney as the police chief.

While he has been described by many as a dedicated police officer, Maloney's passion in his free time was youth sports. He played football at Winnacunnet High School, and he was known for supporting local athletes and turning out to watch their games.

The 4 p.m. ceremony will feature the unveiling of the complex sign, which was designed by resident Jay Meagher with the help of Recreation Committee member Erica Rahn. Zax Signage of Nashua and Infinite Imaging of Portsmouth were responsible for constructing the sign, according to Kratimenos.

"It will just be a simple ceremony," he said, noting that members of Maloney's family will be in attendance, along with members of local police and fire departments.

The event will also serve as a kickoff to a fund-raising campaign aimed at soliciting donations to expand the number of fields located at the complex, which currently features one multipurpose field and one youth softball field. Officials working on the project say the expansion would benefit the entire Seacoast region.

The estimated cost is between $450,000 and $500,000, Kratimenos said.

"We're really at that crucial stage right now where we've just about pushed the ball to the top of the hill," he said. "We're really excited right now at this point in time."

Brian Pafford, chairman of the Recreation Committee, said corporate sponsors will be sought out first and that naming rights to the fields, concession stand, dugouts and more will be made available at a later date.

Officials said volunteers put in countless hours working on the design of the complex. The fields, designed by resident Steve Sargent with input of others, will make maximum use of the available space, Pafford said.

"I really like the design. I wish we were able to use more of the land, but we're not," he said. "We're using every piece of property that we possibly could."

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service